Last.



Patented iuy 9, Ism.

J. H. PDPE.

LAST.

(Application led Jan. 3. 189B.) I

, X\\ 'e r "QQ kluwefm/ ff @Mwy iTeD STATES* PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH H. POPFnsOF BROOKTON, .MASSAOHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE UNITED SHOE' MACHINERY COMPANY, OF NEW JERSEY.

LAST.

SPEGILFIGATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 678,129, dated July9, 1901.

Application iiled January 3, 1898. Serial No. 665.353. (Model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH H. POPE, of Brockton, county of Plymouth,State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Lasts, of whichthe following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings,is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing likeparts.

This invention has for its object the production of a novel last of thekind wherein the heel part is divided from the fore part.

One part of the last has a groove and the other part a projection whichmay be seated in the groove, they cooperating to form a fulcrum aboutwhich the heel part may turn. The heel part is attached to the fore partby a connection which permits the heel part to be withdrawn from theshoe without at all disturbing the fore part, leaving the interior ofthe shoe at the shank end ofthe fore part entirely clear for thereception of part of a suitable jack used in the process of applying'the heel to the shoe. Atter the heel has been applied the heel part isswung instantly into its position at the interior of the shoe, andthereafter the subsequent steps required to iinish the shoe are carriedon with the last in the shoe.

Figure 1 by full lines shows my improved last in a shoe, the latterbeing shown 'in section, the dotted lines showing the heel part of thelast in its inoperative position. Fig. 2 shows the last looking at itfrom the left, viewing Fig. 1, with the heel part hanging; and Fig. 3shows the last in working position, but in longitudinal section.

In the production of my-improved last the wood of the last is firstbrought into the shape required for a full last, and then the last is`divided transversely to make a fore part a and a heel b, and thereaftera portion ofthe fore part is removed to leave the space c. The block ofthe last, preferably before it is divided transversely, is boredtransversely, and the out made to divide the last is made through thebore, so that both the fore part and heel part are left to present apart of said groove, as shown at d. One of these grooves, after the lastis divided, receives and has fixed therein a pin or rod d', which may beof tough strong wood or other material, said pin or rod constituting aprojection to enter the open groove d in the opposed part of the last,the groove being herein shown as located in the fore part, saidprojection and groove cooperating by interlocking when the last isextended in a shoe, so as to detaohably lock the parts together, and theopen space c permitting the heel part to turn on the fore part when thesaid heel part is to be turned into place in the shoe, or when it is tobe withdrawn from the shoe preparatory to removing the forel part of thelast, or for any other purpose. The heel part and fore part are slottedlongitudinally to receive a connection e, (shown as a metallic 1ink,)pivoted at c e2.

When during the operation of completing the shoe on the last the heel isto be applied, the operator engages the heel part and pulls it out ofthe interior of the shoe, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, butwithoutdisturbing the fore part of the last, and in this condition theinterior of the shoe next the shank or crown end of the fore part isleft free to receive any usual jack or post employed to sustain theinterior of the sole f, having the at-v tached upper g, during theoperation of attaching the heel h.` The heel having been attached, ltheoperator at once turns the heel portion back into its full-lineposition, and

the subsequent operations are carried on with the entire last in theshoe. I have attached a spring m to the connection e,- said springacting to aid in keeping the face of the heel part in contact with theface of the fore part. The interlocking projection and groove constitutea means for removably locking the heelpart on the fore part, and theseinterlocking portions are automatically unlocked or unseated simply4 bycollapsing the two faces of the open space c against each other, thisbeing due to the fact that said faces meet each other below theprojection d. (See Fig. 1.) a

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecu re by Letters Patent, is-

1. A two-part transversely-divided last, one part having a groove, andthe other a projection taking a seat loosely in said groove, said ICQtwo parts having an open space between them at one side of saidcooperating groove and projection, permitting the heel part to turn onthe fore part for shortening the last leaving the heel part free to bepulled away from its bearing on the fore part, substantially asdescribed.

2. Atwo-part transversely-divided last, one part having a groove, andthe other a projection taking a seat loosely in said groove, said twoparts having an open space between them at one side of said cooperatinggroove and projection permitting the heel part to turn on the fore partfor shortening the last, leaving the heel part free to be removed fromthe fore part, and a connection between said fore part and heel part toprevent one from being detached wholly from the other, substantially asdescribed.

3. A divided last capable of use in the manufacture of shoes, the heelpart being divided transversely from the fore part, and having a portionremoved to constitute an open space c or V-shaped gap between saidparts, the heel part being capable of turning or swinging on the forepart for shortening the last, and a connecting device between said heelpart and fore part of a length to permit the heel part to be whollywithdrawn from the shoe without disturbing the fore part, substantiallyas described.

4. A divided last consisting of a heel part divided transversely fromthe fore part, a connecting device between said heel part and fore partof a length to permit the heel part to be wholly withdrawn from the shoewithout disturbing the fore part, and a spring between said connectingdevice and last, substantially as described.

5. A divided last, comprising a heel part and a fore part, a connectingdevice between said parts of a length to permit the heel part to bewithdrawn from the shoe without disturbing the fore part, and means forremovably locking the heel part and the fore part together when inoperative extended position, substantially as described.

6. A divided last, comprising a heel part and a fore part, aconnectingdevice between said parts of alength to permit the heel to bewithdrawn from the shoe without disturbing the fore part, an open spacec between said parts when in extended position, means for removablylocking the heel part and fore part together when in extended position,and means for automatically unlocking said parts by the collapsing orshortening movement of the last, substantially as described.

7. A divided last, comprising a heel part and a fore part, an open spacebetween them for permitting collapsing or shortening of the last, meansfor removably locking the heel part and the fore part together when inop; erative extended position, and means for antomatically unlockingsaid parts by the collapsing or shortening movement of the last,

-snbstantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH H. POPE.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. GREGORY, MARGARET A. DUNN.

